Photocomposing machine with magnification mechanism

ABSTRACT

The use of a pair of lenses for projecting a letter and giving it a different magnification. The lenses are slidable from one position to another.

[451 June 25, 1974 United States Patent [191- Sinnott et al.

S T N m MA m i c H NM S e m N m 5 m mu C m N m u mm OM m mm M w [75]Inventors: David J. Sinnott, Ringwood', Donald 2,906,172 9/1959 Klemt95/45 E. Alecci, Pine Brook, both of NJ, 3,122,075 2/1964 95/4.5 [73]Assignee: Star-New Era, Inc., South Primary Examiner-John M. HoranAttorney, Agent & Previto Hackensack, NJ.

July 5, 1972 or Firm-Holland, Armstrong, Wilkie [22] Filed:

[21] Appl. No.: 269,195

ABSTRACT 52] Theuseofaparoflensesfcrprolectmgaletterand B41b21/26 givingit a different magnification. The lenses are slidable from one positionto another.

[58] Field of 9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUHZBIQM 3.820.127

SHEET 1 OF 3 IHIIIIIIIIIHIHIIHIIIIIIHIIIIIIHIIfIIHH 44 EE 1]. 4 canPHOTOCOMPOSING MACHINE WITH MAGNIFICATION MECHANISM The presentinvention is directed to a photocomposing machine in which light isdirected from a light source through a font and onto a refractingsurface for redirection to a photo-sensitive sheet of material.

It sometimes may be desirable to change the size of the characters thatare being projected onto the photosensitive sheet. To do this, themagnification of the projecting system is changed. This entails the useof different lenses for receiving the images of characters of aparticular font. Heretofore, the magnification of the characters hasbeen changed by complicated mechanisms for moving lenses into and out ofposition of the image of the characters. This, in turn, requirescomplicated control mechanisms which increases production andmaintenance costs.

The present invention eliminates these drawbacks and has, for one of itsobjects, the provision of an improved mechanism for a photocomposingmachine whereby improved means are provided for changing themagnification of the characters.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improvedphotocomposing machine wherein a pair of lenses are slidably mounted inthe path of the light beam to change the magnification of the image.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improvedmeans for permitting the lenses to slide easily from one position toanother.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon anunderstanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described orwill be indicated in the appended claims and various advantages notreferred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employmentof the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes ofillustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings,forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of the photocomposing machine to be usedfor the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of the font used in the present invention;

HO. 3 is a top view of the lens-shifting mechanism used in the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a detailed side view thereof; and

H6. 5 is one end view of the mechanism.

The photocomposing machine in which the present invention isparticularly adapted to be used is described and shown in US. Pat.application Ser. No. 825,692 filed May 19, 1969 is schematically shownin FIG. 1.

A source of light 1 is powered by a power supply 2 to create an intense,short burst of light 17 at a wave length most suited for thelight-sensitive material or film 16 being used. The source of light 1may be any high intensity coherent light source which gives amonochromatic beam such as a laser or a zeon flash tube. Of course,other light sources may also be used if desired.

The light beam 17 may pass through a modulator (not shown) and continuesto a character font drum assembly 4. The font drum assembly 4 iscontinuously rotated by motor 19. The drum assembly 4 comprises drum 4c,having a film strip 4b consisting of a plurality of fonts of transparentcharacters 4e and 4d. When the light beam 17 is generated, as explainedin greater detail hereinafter, it is directed to a redirecting mechanism25, which in the drawings is shown as being a penta reflector. It isthen redirected through a selected character in the font strip 4b andthe image 17b formed of that character is directed to a lens system 8.

The lens system 8 will direct the character image 17b to a reflectingsurface 9, which is shown in the application as a mirror, for reflectingthe character image 17b onto the photo-sensitive film 16 as at 26. Themirror 9 is moved by a motor 10 so that the image 17b of the characterprojected by the mirror 9 will be directed to a different part of thephoto-sensitive film- 16 to form the line 26. In other words, as eachcharacter image 17b is flashed onto the sheet 16, the mirror 9 isadjusted to sweep an arc across the face of photo-sensitive material 16so that a line of characters 26 is impressed thereon.

The mirror 9 is rotated predetermined increments so that the line 26will be justified. The distance between the mirror 9 and the paper film16 is so great that the distortion of the image projected on the paperis minimal, if at all.

At the end of a line the film 16 is moved upwardly so that another linecan be printedQThe film then passes through a developer mechanism 23 andis then cut by cutting mechanism 24 into strips for future useandassembly.

Above the bank of characters 4d and 4e on the rotating drum film strip4b, there is provided a plurality of counting gate openings or strobes18. One gate opening 18 is mounted in line with characters 4d and 4e.The drum 4c is provided with a light source 27 adapted to project lightthrough each gate 18 as the gate 18 passes thereby. The light isdirected onto a control photo diode 5. When the photo diode 5 isactivated a pulse is generated which is fed into a counter mechanism 6.The output of this counter 6 is fed to a gate 7 (which is connected tothe light power supply 2) and represents one of the conditions of thegate 7.

A tape reader 12 is adapted to sense code combinations on a tape (notshown) and transfer themto an electronic computer (not shown) which haspredetermined character and line data therein and which has storedtherein a particular number count to each character. The count istransferred to the gate mechanism 7 and when the count of a particularcharacter is reached by the counter 6 it coincides with the count fromthe computer to satisfy conditions of gate 7.

A pulse is sent to the light powered supply 2 and to the character widthand spacing electronics (not shown). However, the signal to the powersupply 2 is inhibited. After a time interval, e.g., 2 microseconds, themirror 9 is moved a predetermined angle directly proportional to thewidth and spacing of the particular character to be reproduced. As soonas the mirror is in position, the inhibit is slowed and the light powersupply 2 is activated to flash the light source 1.

It is sometimes desirable to utilize different magnifications for thecharacters being projected. According to the present invention, the lenssystem 8 comprises a plurality of lens assemblies 8a and 8b, two ofwhich are shown in the drawing, each of which will give a differentmagnification to the character that is being projected onto thephoto-sensitive sheet 16. The lens assemblies 8a and 8b are adapted toslide back and forth in the path of the beam 17b in order to give adifferent magnification to the image. If desired, a plurality of slidinglens assemblies may be used if more than two magnifications are desired.

Each lens assembly 8a and 8b comprises a tubular lens holder 30 mountedin a frame 31 provided with slide bars 32. The lens holders 30 protrudefrom a slidable front plate 33 which is connected to a rear stabilizingplate 34 by means of standards 35. The front and rear plates 33 and 34have bearing elements 36 which are adapted to permit sliding movement onthe slide bars 32.

The lens system 8 is slidable back and forth by means of a motor 38operating on gear racks 39 through gear elements 40,41 and 42. The gearracks 39 are mounted on the front and rear plates 33 and 34. It will benoticed that by energizing the motor 38, the lens assembly slides eitherin one direction or in the other so as to give a different magnificationto the beam 17b. Switches 37 are provided at each end of the frame 31which are adapted to be tripped by the lens system 8 in order to becertain that the lenses are in position.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides an improvedmechanism for a photocomposing machine whereby means are provided forchanging the magnification of the characters and which includes a pairof lenses easily slidable mounted in the path of the light beam.

As changes may be made in the construction and arrangements of the partsherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention andwithout sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood thatall matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A photocomposing machine comprising means for generating a beam oflight; a font assembly having plurality of transparent charactersthereon; means for directing the light beam through a character in saidfont assembly; a lens system through which said light beam is directed;said lens system comprising at least two lens assemblies and means formoving said lens system to place each of said lens assemblies into andout of the path of said light beam; and safety means operativelyconnected to said lens system and adapted to become operative when thelens assemblies are in the proper position to prevent said light sourcefrom being actuated until said lens assemblies are in proper position totransmit the light beam.

2. A photocomposing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lensassemblies are movable in unison in the same direction.

3. A photocomposing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said lensassemblies are mounted together for sliding movement.

4. A photocomposing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said lensassemblies are mounted on a slidable plate.

5. A photocomposing machine as claimed in claim 4, wherein said plate ismounted on a frame mounted on said machine.

6. A photocomposing machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein a rear plateis one said frame which is operatively connected to-the first plate.

7. A photocomposing machine as claimed in claim 6,

wherein rack and gear means are provided to move the lens system.

8. A photocomposingmachine as claimed in claim 7, wherein a pair ofslide bars are provided and wherein bearing elements depend from thelens system for movement on said slide bars.

9. A photocomposing machine as claimed in claim 8, wherein saidoperative means comprise a pair of switches provided adapted to beengaged when the lens assemblies are in the proper position.

1. A photocomposing machine comprising means for generating a beam oflight; a font assembly having plurality of transparent charactersthereon; means for directing the light beam through a character in saidfont assembly; a lens system through which said light beam is directed;said lens system comprising at least two lens assemblies and means formoving said lens system to place each of said lens assemblies into andout of the path of said light beam; and safety means operativelyconnected to said lens system and adapted to become operative when thelens assemblies are in the proper position to prevent said light sourcefrom being actuated until said lens assemblies are in proper position totransmit the light beam.
 2. A photocomposing machine as claimed in claim1, wherein said lens assemblies are movable in unison in the samedirection.
 3. A photocomposing machine as claimed in claim 2, whereinsaid lens assemblies are mounted together for sliding movement.
 4. Aphotocomposing machine as claimed in claim 3, wherein said lensassemblies are mounted on a slidable plate.
 5. A photocomposing machineas claimed in claim 4, wherein said plate is mounted on a frame mountedon said machine.
 6. A photocomposing machine as claimed in claim 5,wherein a rear plate is one said frame which is operatively connected tothe first plate.
 7. A photocomposing machine as claimed in claim 6,wherein rack and gear means are provided to move the lens system.
 8. Aphotocomposing machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein a pair of slidebars are provided and wherein bearing elements depend from the lenssystem for movement on said slide bars.
 9. A photocomposing machine asclaimed in claim 8, wherein said operative means comprise a pair ofswitches provided adapted to be engaged when the lens assemblies are inthe proper position.